Fishhook sharpener



sept- 23, 1969 J. R. sPRuELl. 3,453,063

Frsnuoox SHARPENER Filed March 2, 1966 BWM@ United States Patent O 3,468,068 FISHHOOK SHARPENER Jerry R. Spruell, Amsterdam, Mo. 64723 Filed Mar. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 531,310 Int. Cl. B24b 9/04; B24d 7 02 U.S. Cl. 51--71 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fishhook sharpener comprising an elongated handle adapted to be manually rotated about its axis, and a block of abrasive material carried fixedly at one end of said handle and having a conical socket formed therein for receiving the point portion of a fishhook therein, the axis of said socket being parallel to but eccentrically offset from the axis of said handle.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fishing accessories, and has particular reference to a device for sharpening fishhooks.

The large proportion of fishhooks which become unusable or inefficient due to dulling, turning or bending of the points thereof, and the difficulty of re-sharpening them by ordinary hand methods, are too well known to require detailed explanation here. The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a very simple and economical hand tool which will perform this operation quickly, efficiently and conveniently. Generally, the tool comprises an elongated body member or handle having set in one end thereof an abrasive block with a small conical socket formed therein for receiving therein the extreme point portion of a fshhook. Then, as the body member is rotated manually about its axis, the point of the fishhook will be sharpened.

Another object is the provision of a tool of the character described which compensates for the fact that the points of fishhooks are seldom if ever precisely conical, and that they therefore cannot have full engagement with the wall of the socket in the abrasive block. This is accomplished by offsetting the axis of the socket eccentrically to the rotational axis of the body member, thereby imparting an orbital movement to said socket as the body member rotates, in order to provide a function to be fully described hereinafter.

Still another object is the provision of a tool of the character described having mechanical means for multiplying the rotational speed of the socketed block over the speed which would ordinarily be obtainable by manual means, thereby increasing the speed and efficiency of the tool.

Other objects are extreme simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for use in sharpening pointed articles other than fshhooks.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a fishhook sharpener embodying the present invention, with parts broken away and shown in section, and showing a fishhook in operative relationship thereto,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the Sharpener as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing a slightly modified construction,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG` 3,

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 1, showing another modification of construction, and

3,468,068 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and in FIG. 1, showing the simplest form of my invention, the numeral 2 applies to an elongated handle or body member formed of wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material, and preferably being of cylindrical form. Inset rigidly into one end of said handle is a cylindrical block 4 of Carborundum or other suitable abrasive material. Formed in said abrasive block is a conical socket 6, the larger end of said socket opening outwardly, and the axis of said socket being parallel t0 but eccentrically offset from the axis of handle 2.

In use, the point 8 of a fishhook 10 to be sharpened is inserted axially into socket 6 as shown in FIG. 1, and the operator holds it in place with one hand. Then the operator holds the end of the handle remote from the abrasive block loosely in his other hand, as between the palm and the third and fourth fingers, and grasps the end of the handle adjacent the abrasive block between the thumb and forefinger of the same hand, using said thumb and forefinger to rotate the handle. The wall of socket 6 is caused by this rotary movement to move around the point of the hook to grind and sharpen it.

It is desirable that the point of the hook not reach to the extreme point of socket 6, since it is virtually impossible to maintain the socket in accurately conical form at its point for any extended time period. The point of the hook, particularly if it is turned, will cause extremely concentrated wear in the base portion of the socket, and would soon round or blunt the conical form thereof, so that it could not effectively sharpen any additional hooks. Accordingly, the socket is so proportioned with a gradual taper of substantial length such that the point of the hook cannot extend to the base thereof, but is arrested by engagement of the barb portion 12 of the hook in the large end of the socket, also as shown in FIG. 1. While the exact proportions of the socket in this connection necessarily depend to some extent on the size of the hooks to be sharpened it has been found that a socket 1A inch deep and with a maximum diameter of about 5%., inch will properly receive hooks of a considerable range of sizes in common usage. Thus the point of the hook is not engaged by the abrasive entirely around its periphery at any one time. In fact, it is extremely unlikely that the point could be engaged by the abrasive around its entire periphery regardless of the proportions of socket 6, since the point of the hook'itself is rarely if ever precisely conical, due to the unidirectional flare of barb 12. Therefore, due both to the socket proportions and also to the non-circular crosssectional contour of the point of the hook the extreme point of the hook tends to rest against the wall of the socket only at one side thereof.

Therefore, if the hook and the abrasive block remained in spatially fixed relation during relative rotation thereof, there would be a distinct possibility that the abrasive stone would not wipe around the entire periphery of the point, and that the point would therefore be ground on only one side. To prevent this inefficiency, it will be seen that socket 6 is disposed eccentrically to the axis of handle 2. This imparts an orbital movement to socket 6 when the handle is rotated as described, causing a rotary relative tilting between the handle axis and the axis of the hook point, the handle rocking about the point the remote end portion thereof is held in the operators palm, and the hook rocking about the point at which it is held in the operators other hand. This relative tilting of the socket and hook point insures that the wall of the socket will wipe around the entire periphery of the point, so that all sides thereof will be ground. Furthermore, this tilting movement is automatic, and is almost impossible to prevent, so long as the tool and hook are hand-held as described.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a slightly modified construction in which the handle 2' is divided into a base portion 14 adapted to be held in the palm of the hand as in FIG. 1, and a nose-piece 16 in which abrasive block 4 is mounted. Base 14 and nose-piece 16 are connected for relative rotation about the handle axis by a spindle 18 one end of which is fixed in the nose-piece and the other end of which is provided with an enlarged head 19 rotatably engaged in a socket 20 of base 14, said head being retained in said socket by a ferrule 22 in which spindle 18 is rotatable and which is pressed into said socket. The purpose of the spindle connection is largely a matter of ease and convenience of usage. In the FIG. 1 form, the base portion of the handle must be held in the palm of the hand sufficiently loosely to permit rotation thereof by the thumb and forefinger, but with sufiicient firmness to provide a pivot for the rotary tilting of the handle induced by the eccentricity of socket 6, and this dual requirement may necessitate the development of a certain degree of skill by the operator. In the FIG. 3 form, on the other hand, the base portion 14 of the handle may be gripped quite firmly in the palm, since it need not be rotated, while nose-piece 16 is rotated by the thumb and forefinger.

In the modification of my invention shown in FIGS. and 6, the handle 2, as in FIGS. 3 and 4, is divided into a base portion 14 and a nose-piece 16 connected by a spindle 18 fixed in the nose-piece and having an enlarged head 19 rotatable in a socket 20 of the base portion and secured therein by ferrule 22. However, in FIGS. 5 and 6 the base and nose-piece portions of the handle are spaced longitudinally apart, and a small pinion gear 24 is fixed on spindle 18 between the handle sections. Ferrule 22 has integrally attached to the outer end thereof a circular plate 26 having a forwardly projecting shoulder 28 the axis of which is parallel to but offset from the handle axis. Mounted rotatably on said shoulder is an internal ring gear 30 which is meshed with pinion 24. In use, the operator grasps base portion 14 of the handle in his palm, and rotates ring gear 30 with the thumb and foref'inger, so that nose-piece 16 is caused by the gears 30-24 to be rotated at several times the speed at which it could be rotated in the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This reduces the manual physical effort required from the operator, and reduces the time required to sharpen any hook. The external surface of ring gear 30, as Well as the external surface of nosepiece 16 in FIG. 3 and the external surface of handle 2 adjacent abrasive block 4 in FIG. l, may be knurled or otherwise roughened to facilitate manual rotation thereof.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation 4 could be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A fishhook Sharpener comprising:

(a) an elongated handle adapted to be manually rotated about its axis, and

(b) a block of abrasive material carried iixedly by said handle at one end thereof and having a conical socket formed therein adapted to receive the point portion of a fishhook therein, the axis of said socket being parallel to and laterally offset from the axis of said handle, and the taper of said socket being gradual and of substantial length, whereby the insertion of a fishhook therein is arrested by engagement of said hook with the shoulders of said socket before the extreme tip of said point portion engages the base of said socket.

2. A fishhook Sharpener as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle is divided intermediate its ends into a nosepiece carrying said abrasive block and a base portion axially aligned with said nose-piece, and with the addition of:

(a) means connecting said base and nose-piece portions of said handle to permit relative rotation thereof about the axis of said handle,

(b) a first operating member comprising a relatively large gear carried by said handle base for rotation about an axis parallel to but laterally offset from the handle axis, and

(c) a second operating member comprising a relatively small gear fixed to said handle nose-piece concentrically with the handle axis, and meshed with said relatively large gear, whereby said relatively small gear is driven by said relatively large gear to turn said nose-piece relative to said base portion at a speed greater than that of said relatively large gear.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner D. G. KELLY, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 51-205 

